Crazy 'Bout a North Side Gal
by carebear88
Summary: Archie and Ruby discover they have something in common: their love of dancing. RedxCricket. Set before the curse is broken.
1. North Side Gal

Ch. 1

**Audio transcripts from the confidential files of Dr. Archibald Hopper, MD, MSW, LICSW.**

**Date: 10/24/11**

**Time: 6:47pm EST**

**Patient #24, Henry Mills**

Mills: You look sad today, Archie.

Dr. Hopper: You're skirting the issue again, Henry. Our time is almost up and you haven't answered my questions about your father.

Mills: I'm not really in the mood to talk about him today. Why do you look so sad?

[INDETERMINATE NOISES]

Dr. Hopper: I'm sad because my friend has been very sick.

Mills: Geppetto?

Dr. Hopper: Geppetto? Oh, you mean Marco. Yes, he's had the flu all week.

Mills: I think he misses his son.

Dr. Hopper: He doesn't have a son, Henry. We talked about this.

Mills: I know Marco doesn't have a son. But Geppetto does. Pinocchio. Don't worry, he'll be fine.

Dr. Hopper: Thank you, Henry.

Mills: Do you have any other friends, Archie? Besides Marco?

Dr. Hopper: [LAUGHTER] Sure, Henry. Emma and I chat sometimes. But we mostly talk about you, which is what we're supposed to be doing right now.

Mills: It's seven o'clock. Our time is up.

Dr. Hopper: Yes, it is.

0000000

As Archie walked down Main Street, the tip of his umbrella clicking against the sidewalk, he shook his head and marveled at how Henry had the ability to make _him_ feel like the patient instead of the doctor. They boy was smart. A little too smart for his own good, sometimes. And he certainly had a way of prying into other people's lives.

Archie sighed as he passed the bakery. He _was_ sad tonight. He was sad that Marco didn't tell him about his cold, that his one true friend in town couldn't be honest and say that, maybe, this illness was worse than the others. He feared for the old man's well-being, almost as a parent would fear for their child. It was silly, but Archie didn't know how else to describe it.

The psychiatrist pulled his jacket tighter around his chest to block the chilly autumn wind. The streets were nearly empty tonight, with only a few cars passing by on the road and the flickering of business lights going out as people closed their shops for the day. Archie turned the corner to the street where his apartment sat. He saw through the window across the street that Granny's was slow tonight, and only a few patrons sat in the booths.

Pongo greeted Archie when he opened his door, slobbering kisses on the man's face with his tail wagging violently. Archie knelt and patted the Dalmatian. "Good boy. Did you miss me?"

The dog barked a response. Archie led him down the hall to the kitchen and gave Pongo a bowl of kibble. The doctor fixed himself dinner, chicken breast with peas and carrots, and read the _Daily Mirror_ as he ate.

The flat was quiet, always quiet, even as Pongo slurped his food. Archie had gotten used to solitude over the years, but tonight he fidgeted as he washed his dishes, his eyes glancing at the phone, wondering if Marco would call him with an update. After writing up a few notes from his sessions today, Archie sat back in his leather armchair in front of the unlit fireplace. He looked at the clock. 9:30.

Pongo lay across the red couch, head between his paws. Archie smiled slowly and raised a brow. "Wanna go for a walk, Pongo?"

The dog was out the door before Archie could put a leash on him. He took his usual route through the park, across town towards the hospital and cutting through Main Street again. By now, the local businesses were closed, save for Granny's where the lights still shined from inside the diner. Archie crossed the street and peered through the window.

The eatery was completely empty, chairs stacked on top of the tables and a mop and bucket sitting near the front counter. Not a person was in sight, save for Ruby. The young woman with long black hair, streaked with a brilliant red, wore a pair of headphones and danced around the diner with a broom. It wasn't a slow dance, either, but a jazzy, fast dance that she bobbed her head to in between sweeping.

Archie smiled. Pongo pulled the leash, begging to keep going, but Archie held him back. He watched Ruby dance, amused and impressed by her swinging footsteps. He went to the door and knocked. When she didn't answer, he opened it slowly and peered in.

"'Scuse me?"

Ruby had her back to him, tapping her feet.

"Hello?"

Ruby whipped around and gasped. She pulled the headphones from her hears and froze in place.

"I'm sorry!" Archie said. "I-I didn't mean—"

Ruby laughed and put a hand to her heart. "Jeeze, Archie, you scared me half to death!"

"I'm sorry," the doctor said again. "Are you closed?"

The beautiful young woman flashed him a teeth-baring grin and took a chair from the table. "Have a seat," she said. "The grill's closed, but I can whip you up a soda—"

"That's okay, I was just . . ."

Archie paused and tilted his head to the side. Ruby's hair was done up in a tight ponytail, her eyelids painted a bright red. Her crimson lips didn't falter from their grin, and her red hot pants left little to the imagination in terms of the girl's shapely legs. Archie shook his head and felt like a perv. Of course Ruby was beautiful. She was _always_ beautiful. But it was rare that they were alone together so he could asses just how pretty the young woman was.

"What were you listening to?" he asked.

"Oh," Ruby chuckled and clicked her Walkman off. "Just some music Granny let me borrow. It's great, wanna hear?"

Archie glanced back at the door, then to Ruby. "I should—"

"Just two seconds," Ruby said. She took the CD from her Walkman, hurried behind the counter, and popped it in the CD player under the register.

The tune was a snappy, jazzy beat, and Archie recognized the song from the radio. It was JD McPherson's 'North Side Gal,' a song that was never missed on the "swing time lineup" on Storybrook's KOOL 87.4 jazz station. Archie nodded to the music and laughed.

"This is a good one."

"You know it?" Ruby asked.

"Sure." He sat at the booth by the window and had Pongo lay at his feet. "He's no Fats Domino or Buddy Holly, but he plays a good rockabilly."

Ruby went to Archie's booth with an impressed smile. She put her hand on her hip. "I didn't think anyone else liked this kind of stuff."

"Well, anyone with taste would." Archie grinned. He motioned to her. "Hey, where'd you learn to dance like that?"

Ruby waved him off. "Oh, I saw a couple of videos online. Granny's had me closing up for the past week, so when I'm alone, I like to try the steps."

"You're great."

Ruby blushed. "Nah."

"I'm serious!" Archie scooted forward in his booth. "You've got the gift."

JD McPherson crooned,_ "Crazy 'bout a North Side gal . . ._" and Ruby held her hand out to Archie.

"Wanna try?" the young woman asked.

Archie shook his head sheepishly. "No, I couldn't. I have two left feet."

"That's okay, I'm right-handed," Ruby said with a laugh.

"No, really." Archie stood with Pongo's leash in hand. "I should be going, actually." He turned and headed for the door, when Ruby stopped him.

"Hey, Archie? Why'd you come in?"

Dr. Hopped stared at the glass door, at Ruby's reflection. He didn't want to tell her that he admired her dancing and he wanted to see more. He didn't dare admit her red streaks and cherry mouth always intrigued him just a little, like a spice he knew he could never try. And anyway she was just a kid, too pretty for him and far too young for any guy who didn't wear muscle t-shirts. Archie cleared his throat and turned slowly to the woman.

"I was hoping to get some soup," he said. "for Marco. He's been sick lately—"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ruby cried. She dashed around the counter to the back room.

"Really, don't trouble yourself—"

"It's fine, I haven't turned the warmers off yet," Ruby called from the kitchen.

Archie looked at Pongo, who stared back quizzically. He shrugged at the dog and pulled on his tie, suddenly feeling very warm and tingly under his skin. Ruby reappeared from the back moments later, a Styrofoam bowl of chicken soup steaming in her hand. She popped a lid on it, wrapped it in a brown paper bag, and handed it to Ruby.

Archie smiled. "Thank you," he said. "I really appreciate it." He reached in his pocket for money, but Ruby shook her head.

"It's on me. Tell Marco to get better, okay?"

Archie's mouth stretched in an even wider grin and he nodded. "I will. Thanks again."

"_Every song I sing_, _it screams about a north side gal_ . . ."

Archie cleared his throat again and clutched the paper bag tightly. "H-Have a good night," he said.

Ruby waved with her fingers. "Bye."

Dr. Hopper led Pongo out of the diner and practically skipped the rest of the way home, cradling the warm soup in his arm, singing, "_Crazy 'bout a north side gal_ . . . _Yeah, I'm crazy 'bout a north side gal_ . . ."

**To be continued**


	2. Red Cricket

Ch. 2

The next day, Archie was in his office, fumbling over his feet as he tried to copy the swishy steps of the swing dance video on his laptop. He admired the dancers for their grace and theatrical smiles, loved how their feet never seemed to touch the ground, but as soon as Archie caught sight of his feet, he stopped and blushed. He was too clumsy for this. He was probably too old, too. He wasn't like Ruby, who danced with the broom as easily as these professionals did with real partners.

A knock came at the door. Archie closed his laptop on his desk. "Come in."

Marco peered around the door, his newsboy cap in his hand. "Is this a bad time?" he asked.

"No, I was just, uh . . ." Archie straightened his tie and motioned for Marco to step in. "Come in. How are you feeling?"

The old man certainly looked better than before—his skin had a healthy pink color, his eyes twinkled, and he even seemed to walk better. "I'm feeling good," Marco said. "The soup you gave me, it was like magic."

Archie smiled and sat in the leather sofa. "That's good. But don't thank me, the credit goes to Ruby."

"Ah-hah." Marco joined Archie on the couch. "I heard music coming from here. What were you listening to?"

Archie shrugged. "Just some old swing classics. Did you know there are two types of swing dancing? east coast and west. I like east coast better. It's a lot more . . . _kicky_."

Marco raised his brows. "'Kicky?'"

Archie lowered his eyes, his smile impenetrable. "Yeah." He cleared his throat. "So, uh, what's the occasion?"

Marco reached in his pocket and pulled out a small piece of wood, polished and carved to look like a cricket. "I wanted to thank you for the soup, but now that I know it was Ruby's idea—"

Archie laughed and took the figure, studying it amusingly in his hands. "It's lovely, thank you." He looked at Marco. "Is it okay if I give it to Ruby? She didn't want me paying for the soup, anyway."

"Whatever you like. That Ruby, she's a good girl."

"Yeah . . ." Archie looked at the cricket again, his smile widening as he thought of the pretty young woman's dance steps. "Hey, do you want to get lunch?" he asked Marco.

0000000

The lunch rush was unusually slow today, with only Sidney Glass sitting a few booths towards the end, a husband and wife by the windows, and Emma having a grilled cheese at the counter. Ruby appeared from the back room with a tray of water, and it was all Archie could do to keep from smiling like an idiot in front of her. He sat at a booth with Marco and squeezed the wooden cricket in his coat pocket.

"I'll be with you guys in a sec," Ruby said as she handed Sidney a water.

Archie tapped his feet nervously until Ruby arrived at their table. She wore tight blue pants under her white apron, a red shirt, and a wisp of blush in her high cheekbones. "What can I get you guys?"

Archie waved his hand, his heart jack-hammering in his chest. "Oh, I'm not hungry."

Marco looked at him. "It was _your_ idea to come here."

Ruby looked from Marco to Archie, then lowered her notepad. "I'll come back." She turned for the counter, then whipped back to Marco. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Marco."

"Thank you, Ruby. I made something for you . . ." The old man looked at Archie, who was staring intently at Ruby, as though she might dance if he looked long enough. He nudged Archie's leg under the table and the psychiatrist snapped out of it.

"Oh, right." Archie dug in his coat pocket and pulled out the wooden figure. "Here. It's a—"

"Cricket?" Ruby said.

"I made it in my shop," said Marco.

It obviously wasn't Ruby's style, but she smiled nonetheless. "Thank you. Is it okay if I paint it red?"

"It wouldn't be you if you didn't," Marco said.

Archie slumped in his seat. He wanted to be the one to give Ruby the gift, to pull her aside and ask her the secrets of her dancing style, maybe even take her up on that offer of a dance—

"I'll get you guys some water." Ruby plopped the cricket in her apron pocket and turned once more for the front counter.

Archie rubbed his temple. What an idiot. He should have spoken up. He should have said something cool like, 'nice dancing last night,' or 'red is a great color on you,' but every word seemed childish and awkward.

"You're doing it again," Marco said.

Archie blinked and looked at his friend. "Huh?"

"When you're upset, you rub your face. Would you have rather kept the cricket?"

"No." Archie shook his head. "I mean, yes, it was a lovely gift, but . . ."

"But?"

Archie looked across the diner. Ruby was refilling Emma's cup of coffee, a smile on her cherry lips. "Excuse me." Archie stood, a courage gathering in his chest that he never knew he had, and leaned over the counter. "Can I ask you something?"

Ruby looked at him. "Sure."

Emma's eyes were slowly traveling to the pair, inadvertently listening in, but Archie didn't care. "Do you . . ." He cleared his throat and suddenly everything got hazy. "Um, do you have . . .?"

Ruby's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She ducked under the counter and came up with a CD in hand. "I burned you a copy of JD McPherson."

Archie stared at Ruby for a moment, puzzled, then took the CD. "Oh. Thanks."

"Yeah, I also got a copy of those other guys—Buddy Holly and that fat guy."

"Fats Domino."

"Right." Ruby giggled.

"So, are you, uh, still interested in swing dance?"

"Yeah, I love it," Ruby said, her eyes shining. "It'd be more fun if I had a partner, though."

Lava rushed to Archie's cheeks. Was Ruby flirting? Impossible. She was just making idle chatter, like him. But her smile, God, her smile . . . And she liked the music he recommended. And she burned him a copy of that CD. And she smelled so damn good—

"Well, thanks." Time slowed as Archie turned away from the counter. The hand on the clock stopped, the fly buzzing on the window hovered as slow as molasses from a jar, and Archie's feet felt like they were made of lead.

His brain was was saying: _YOUGODDAMNIDIOTWHYAREYOUSOST UPIDTURNAROUND_!

His heart was saying: Youuuuuuuuuu suuuuuuuuuuck looooooooser . . .

Archie's vision went black, and only until he found himself sitting back at his booth did time start up again.

"Are you all right?" Marco asked.

Archie closed his gaping mouth, then nodded, a small squeak emanating from his lips. "Got CD." He held up the disc. He felt like a robot. "Music. Good."

0000000

Alone, at home, again. The rest of Archie's day was tame, as usual, the same garden-variety neurotics, the same chicken and vegetable dish for lunch. Archie mumbled angrily to himself as he washed his dishes and Pongo stared at him from the couch in the living room.

"Idiot. Such an idiot." He scrubbed his dinner plate until his fingers hurt, until it was clean enough to do surgery on him. He moved onto a helpless water glass and shook his head. "Should've danced. Should've—" Archie stopped and looked towards the living room. Ruby's CD was perched on the edge of his stereo system, practically staring at him as pointedly as Pongo.

Archie dropped the glass in the lukewarm sink and crossed the room. He popped the CD in his player and JD crooned "Wolf Teeth." Archie grinned and tapped his foot to the song. He wanted to sprint across the room, swinging his legs and arms, kicking his feet as exuberantly as the dancers in those videos he watched today, but he didn't know how. There was a fire inside of him growing. He could feel it with every beat of the song, every hoot of JD's rockabilly voice.

Archie looked at Pongo. Smiled slowly.

"Let's go for a walk, Pongo."

This time, he wouldn't walk away. This time, he would dance.

**To be continued**


	3. Blueberry Hill

**A/N: I've been crazy-busy at grad school trying to write my own novel, so my fanfiction has been taking a backseat lately. But now I'm craving more Red Cricket on the show, and I need to vent my feeeeelings. Thanks for sticking with me! More to come!**

* * *

Ch. 3

Archie tied Pongo up outside the empty diner. It was closing time again and the chairs were stacked on the tables, the countertops wiped clean. Ruby was alone, dancing with her broom again as Fats Domino crooned _Ain't That a Shame_. Archie watched her for a moment through the glass door, smiling as Ruby danced suggestively with the broom and dipping it as if it were a savvy partner. He knocked on the door and Ruby whipped around. She smiled when she saw Archie and motioned for him to come in.

"Hey," Dr. Hopper said. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie.

"Hey, Archie," Ruby said. "What brings you by?"

"I, uh . . ." Archie shuffled his feet and tapped his umbrella on the linoleum. He swallowed hard, bundled up his courage and stuffed it in the cavity of his heart to keep the organ calm. "I want to learn how to dance"

Ruby's smile didn't falter. She cocked her head to the side. "What?"

"I mean, I want to dance the way you do." Archie took a bold step forward. "Y'know, swing dancing."

Ruby held her hand up and laughed. "I'm not an expert or anything," she said modestly. "I just do it for fun."

Archie nodded. "I know. I just . . . I don't know anyone else who likes this kind of stuff. I thought—" he cleared his aching throat again, "I just thought it would be fun to try and learn. Together."

Though Archie didn't think it was possible, Ruby's smile grew wider. Her eyes softened as if she had just seen a puppy in a pet store window. "You wanna dance with me?"

Archie's breath caught in his chest. He looked around and took off his coat, anything for a moment of distraction to think of a way how to word it. Yes, he wanted to dance with her. He wanted to feel her energy and warmth as they tapped to Cole Porter, to feel a spark something in his life that had been missing for . . . well, for as long he could remember. How could he tell her that he was tired of lonely chicken dinners and cold walks with Pongo by himself? How could he tell her that her dancing inspired him, made him believe there was something else out there other than neurotic mama's-boys and manic depressives who strolled in and out of his office?

Instead of telling her, Archie decided he would show her. No matter how hard his knees shook.

The doctor rolled up his sleeves and pushed a table aside. "Have you ever danced the jitter-bug?" he asked Ruby.

The young girl shrugged, her smile unwavering. She seemed just as excited as him.

"It's this great dance where—"

Outside, Pongo barked. Ruby looked over Archie's shoulder and said, "You can let him inside, if you want Poor thing looks freezing."

"Are you sure?" Archie asked.

"Of course." Ruby went to the door and let Pongo inside. "Granny's at her bridge game tonight. We have the whole place to ourselves."

Archie grinned and felt himself blush. This was one of those times where he wasn't sure if Ruby was flirting or not. He often assumed she wasn't for sanity's sake. He couldn't handle it when she complimented him, much less tossed him a flirty gaze. Ruby gave Pongo a bowl of water and he sat comfortably in one of the booths.

Fats Domino's _Blueberry Hill_ came on and Ruby dashed to the front counter "Ooh, I love this one!" She turned the stereo up. "This is a good one to start off with."

Archie tugged at his tie. _Blueberry Hill_ was a makeout song from the 50's, slow and rhythmic and easy to sway to, but the lyrics were highly suggestive and made him second-guess his decision to come.

_I found my thrill . . . on Blueberry Hill . . ._

Ruby approached Archie and held out her hands. "Ready?"

Archie stared, his mouth open slightly. Ruby had a smudge of eyeliner on the corner of her left eye that he had an urge to gently wipe away. She still smelled good, like lavender and vanilla, even after a whole day of working in a greasy diner. What if he stepped on her toe? What if he stumbled and fell and she laughed.

Ruby rolled her eyes and laughed, sensing his hesitation. "Here, like this." She took Archie's hand and put it on her waist, then put his other hand in hers and draped her arm over his shoulder. "Come a little closer, I won't bite." She pulled him closer until their faces were inches apart, until he could hear her heartbeat over the music and smell her strawberry shampoo and notice a fleck of red eye shadow near her brow.

Archie could have killed himself for not brushing his teeth before he came.

"We'll start with a box-step first," Ruby said. "You're the leader, so you step forward first.

_The wind in the willow played . . . love's sweet melody . . ._

Just as he predicted, the first step Archie took was right on Ruby's toe. Thank God she wore heavy boots "Sorry!" he said.

Instead of crying out or pushing him away, Ruby laughed. "It's okay, relax. This is my first time with a partner, too."

_Tho' we're apart . . . you're part of me still . . ._

With simple counting measures and timidly staring at their feet, Archie finally got the steps down. _One two, threefour, one two, threefour_. He found himself smiling and even spinning Ruby around slowly. She giggled and landed the spin perfectly back in his arms. It was like they had been dancing together all their lives, fit like a glove to a hand or a beat to a song. When Fats' song was over, Archie pulled away and took a bow as Ruby clapped.

"Let's try something faster!" Ruby said excitedly. She ran to the stereo, changed the disc, and turned the volume up even louder.

JD was back, singing about that north side gal he couldn't forget. As nervous as Archie was, he had been waiting to dance to this song with a partner for what felt like a lifetime. They stumbled through the song, bumping into each other and laughing. Even Ruby, as talented as she looked by herself, stepped on Archie's toes once in a while and even slipped when she did a turn. She always laughed it off and tried again. After a few more JD McPherson tracks, the pair had a good jive going, playing off each other's pivots and foot taps. The adrenalin was addicting, spinning and dipping and rocking their feet to the beat. There were no more apologies, no more excuses for not trying a dance move.

Archie was hooked. And he wanted more.

0000000

Granny had bridge night every Tuesday from nine to eleven. This gave Archie and Ruby exactly an hour to practice dancing, leaving some time for Ruby to close up the diner. They agreed to meet at nine-thirty after Granny had gone, not that they were trying to hide from her (well, maybe on some level Archie felt like he had to be discreet), but because Ruby didn't want to get scolded for closing up early and scuffing up the floor with her dancing shoes.

Archie noticed her new heels the second time he came around to dance. They were black with a red toe, hardly comfortable-looking, but he wasn't one to judge a woman's taste. If anything, the heels helped Ruby glide faster, turn sharper, and look adorable as hell while doing it.

Not that Archie would ever tell her.

Pongo became their only audience. He sat at his usual booth with a bowl of water and sometimes a special treat that Ruby made—burnt hamburger meat or scrambled eggs. Archie was grateful for the attention she gave him.

The time between Tuesdays was gray and dull, painfully slow and boring. Archie liked sitting with his patients, but when they got a little long-winded or went on a crying spell, his mind travelled to the diner and the dance moves he would dazzle Ruby with. He practiced every chance he got—in his office between patients, late at night when he got home, even on his walks with Pongo. Whenever he passed Ruby on the street, they smiled and nodded to each other. Their Tuesdays were their own special time, a secret they were happy to keep.

On the fourth Tuesday, Archie brought his laptop from home and pulled up his favorite dancing clips from the internet. Ruby made them chocolate shakes to add to the nostalgic 50's feel and they gushed over the flawless dancers.

"God, I could never do that," Ruby said, remarking on a woman who had been thrown into the air like a rag doll from her boogie-woogie partner.

"Sure you could," Archie said. "You're light enough."

Ruby's face reddened and she smiled. "Thanks." She sipped her shake and said, "It's so nice having someone to talk to about this stuff. Every time I try to talk to Granny about swing dancing, she tells me to go wash the dishes.

Archie chuckled. "Once she sees how talented you are, she'll be begging you to teach her to dance."

Ruby gave Archie a look. "Granny? Dancing? I don't think so."

"Hey, you got me dancing. Maybe she just needs the inspiration."

Ruby giggled. She tipped her head down and Archie noticed she was blushing again. He smiled, proud of himself for not being a total goober and actually making her possibly, in some way, feel good. He motioned to the clearing of tables they called a dance floor.

"C'mon. Let's Lindy hop." He took her hand and pulled her to their stage.

**To be continued**


	4. Double Date (Part 1)

Ch. 4

Ruby checker her lipstick in the reflection of the toaster. The bell atop the diner door rang and she whirled around, a big smile on her face. But it was only Emma. Ruby pouted and smoothed her hair. "Hey, Emma," she said.

Sheriff Swan sat at the counter and took off her coat. "Kinda empty in here this morning."

"It's the weather," Ruby said, dabbing another coat of lipstick on in front of the toaster. "It's a good day to sit inside and watch movies."

Thunder cracked outside and cold rain pelted the windows. Granny was in the kitchen having a talk with one of the short-order cooks. The diner was completely empty, save for Emma, and it was already seven-thirty in the morning. On a normal day, the place would be packed with people grabbing their coffee before work or children getting a donut before the school bus arrived. But today a late-fall rain kept patrons away and left Ruby bored and anxious. What if Archie didn't come tonight? What if Granny's bridge game was cancelled because of the weather?

Ruby got a pot of coffee from the burner and poured Emma a cup. The Sheriff eyed the pretty brunette curiously. "You look fancier than usual," she said. "Big date tonight?"

Ruby grinned slowly. "It's Tuesday." She looked at Emma, who was awaiting a better explanation, then added, "I just like Tuesday, that's all."

"Uh-huh." Emma sipped her coffee.

Ruby hummed a lively beat and twirled to the coffee burner with the pot in hand. She box-stepped towards the register and opened the till. Emma watched her, her lips hitched in a smile. "You've been in a good mood a lot lately." She took another gulp of coffee. "Is love in the air?"

Ruby glanced at Emma as she unrolled a pack of quarters and laughed. "Me? Naw."

"Really? Because every time I see you, you're smiling a dancing."

Ruby grinned, closed the register till, and went to the Sheriff. She leaned on the counter and whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

"If course," Emma said.

Just as Ruby opened her mouth, the phone rang on the wall. She turned with a sigh and answered it. "Granny's Diner."

"Hey, beautiful."

Ruby recognized the voice instantly. It was Billy, the car mechanic she occasionally hooked up with. He only called the diner when he wanted to set a date or order a grilled cheese, and since it was a long way off from lunch, Ruby guessed he was lonely.

"Hey, Billy," she said. "What's up?"

The bell on the door chimed. A gust of wind blew into the restaurant, and Archie entered, umbrella fighting the wind and overcoat soaked with rain.

On the phone, Billy said, "Listen, at seven tonight . . ."

But Ruby wasn't listening. She smiled and waved to Dr. Hopper, who waved back and grinned. He closed his umbrella and took his jacket off, hanging it on the coat rack by the door. Ruby's heart thudded as she watched him. This meant he would probably come tonight to dance, and she was dying to show him a new aerial move where he held her in his arms and—

"Ruby, did you hear me?" Billy asked.

Ruby blinked and turned to the wall, pressing the phone closer to her ear. "Sorry, what?"

"I said I'd pick you up tonight at seven."

"Huh?"

Archie sat at the counter a chair down from Emma. Ruby held up a finger to ask for his patience and he nodded.

"You said you were free tonight," Billy said. "We planned this date forever ago!"

"Billy, I can't—"

"Aw, c'mon, Ruby! It takes weeks to get a reservation at Corals, you know that!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. She had made a date with Billy weeks ago, before dancing took up her Tuesday nights, allowing Billy to save up some money in the meantime for the expensive cuisine. It was a sweet gesture at the time, but now Ruby was annoyed that she might have to miss her lesson tonight. She tossed another glance at Archie and he was reading over the menu.

"Fine," Ruby said to Billy. "Seven o'clock."

They said their goodbyes and Ruby hung up the phone with a heavy heart. She turned, took her note pad from her apron, and approached Archie.

"What can I get you?"

"Just some scrambled eggs to go," the doctor said. He set the menu down and smiled at Ruby. "Happy Tuesday."

Ruby's heart sank even lower and she frowned. She shot a look at Emma, who was doing a terrible job of pretending not to eavesdrop. Ruby whispered to Archie, "I can't come tonight. I have a date."

There was a flash of something on Archie's face, shock and then disappointment and then masked indifference all in a matter of milliseconds. Years of studying his patients must have made him a master of disguising his emotions. "A date?" he said. "That's . . . that's great." Archie offered her a weak smiled that only made Ruby feel worse.

"I'm sorry," she said. She felt bad for breaking their routine, but for some reason felt even worse by admitting she was going out with another man. She didn't owe Archie an explanation—they were just friends having a good time—but deep down, Ruby felt like she was betraying him.

Ruby lowered her eyes, slid the note with Archie order to the server's window, then whipped around. A sudden idea dawned on her that made her feel instantly better. "Hey, why don't you come with?" she said to Archie.

Archie raised a brow. "What?"

"I mean like a double date," Ruby said. "I'll call one of my friends and we could—"

"Oh, no." Archie held a hand up and shook his head, grinning humbly. "That's not necessary."

"Come on!" Ruby leaned against the counter before Dr. Hopper. "I've never gone on a double before. I'll call one of my girlfriends and we can all have dinner at Corals. Y'know, like adults."

Archie's smile widened and his cheeks turned red. It was adorable to see him so flustered, just like the first night he came into the diner and saw her dancing. It was endearing. Cute. It made Ruby want to hug him just to see how red he would get.

"I guess I could use a night out," Archie said finally.

Ruby squealed and clapped. "Yay! I promise you won't be a disappointed."

0000000

Archie could tell Billy wasn't thrilled by the idea of a double-date. That much was clear as they all sat at the fancy table at Corals, minus Archie's date, who was running late. Billy kept checking his watch and sighing, tossing displeased looks at Archie and vainly trying to keep Ruby's hand in his. Ruby was stunning in a black and red dress, her hair curled and her eyes lined with smoky red liner. Her date was a knockout, as well (he would have to be fore someone like Ruby, Archie surmised). The young man wore a black button-down and a heavy silver watch. He had a trace of stubble on his face and smelled of rich cologne. For a car mechanic, he cleaned up as well as an underwear model.

Archie pulled on his tie. He knew he should have changed. He had gone straight from the office to the restaurant, ironically so he wouldn't be late. He was still in his white button-down and tan sweater vest, his tweed jacket with elbow patches hung on the back of his chair. He was sure his hair was a mess and his glasses were splotchy. He felt like a father chaperoning his daughter's friend's date.

"I'm sure she'll be here any minute," Ruby said.

Archie smiled. "It's okay. More bread for us."

That caused Ruby to laugh. She was a vision in the candlelight of their table, a beauty in a sea of otherwise plain faces at Corals. The restaurant was right by the ocean, violin music playing over the speakers and the ceiling painted in fake gold filigree. Ruby looked right at home.

Billy sighed for the hundredth time. "I'm getting hungry." He nudged Ruby. "I skipped lunch for this."

Ruby told him to be patient, then sat up and smiled when she noticed someone across the restaurant. "There she is. Dru!" Ruby waved. "Over here!"

Archie turned his head and saw a young woman approach the table. Actually, he couldn't tell how old she was. She was rail thin, her complexion clear but dull, almost gray. She had black, curly hair that was cut tight against her head and dark circles under her eyes, as if she had spent too long looking into a fire. She wore a gray dress that hung loosely on her frail body. She wasn't pretty, nor was she particularly hideous. She was as common as anyone else walking down the street.

Archie stood when the woman made it to the table. He stuck out his hand. "Hi, I'm—"

"Ugh, you would _not_ believe the parking in this area." Dru sat next to Archie's chair without shaking his hand and unfolded her napkin with the precision of a mother pointing a stern finger at her child.

Archie sat and cleared his throat. "It's very nice to meet you," he said.

"Archie, this is my friend, Dru," Ruby said. "Dru, this is Dr. Archie Hopper."

"Charmed," Dru said. She didn't even look at him, simply opened her menu and scanned the list as if his presence were a bother.

"Uh . . ." Ruby laughed nervously. "Dru is Ashley's stepsister."

"Oh," Archie said, raising his brows. He turned to Dru and said, "Ashley Boyd, right? She just had her baby. You must be so happy for her—"

"I hate children," Dru said. She picked up her butter knife and examined her hair. "Don't get me wrong, they're cute and everything, but if you ask me, the only reason Ashley got pregnant was to keep Sean around."

"Dru!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Well, it's true." She sighed and set the knife down. "I'm sorry, I've been frazzled all week. Mother had to sell the Lamborghini and Priscilla wants to turn Ashley's old room into a Pilates area."

Silence surrounded the table. Archie looked at Ruby and she stared at the bread basket as if embarrassed. The waiter came around and took everyone's orders. Billy got a rare steak and ordered one for Ruby well done. Archie asked for the lobster and Dru had a laundry list of substitutions for her crab—rice pilaf instead of couscous, melted margarine instead of butter for the crab legs, sparkling water with a ¾ twist of lemon, and the shaved carrots had to be picked out of the vegetable side.

"I get terribly gassy," she said.

When the waiter had taken their orders, the table grew silent again. Archie turned to Dru again and said, "So Dru is a lovely name. Is it short for anything?"

"Drusilla," his date said. She had a bad habit of never making eye contact with him. She wiped her silverware down with her napkin and added, "You can imagine the nicknames I had growing up."

"Yeah, me too," Archie said with a laugh.

Ruby smiled. "I like it," she said to him. "It suits you."

Archie grinned at her and uttered a thank you. As much as he liked seeing her tonight, watching the candlelight flicker across her lovely face, he would have rather have been in Granny's Diner, dancing to Sir Duke and making Ruby laugh with his clumsy jokes about lunges.

"What kind of Lamborghini?" Billy asked Dru.

"Black," she said. Leather interior, moon roof—"

"That's my dream car!" Billy exclaimed.

"It drives like a dream. Have you ever gotten behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz C-63?"

"V8 with five-hundred and seventy horsepower?" Billy slapped the table and howled like a dog. "Now _that's_ what I'm talking about!"

Ruby looked at Archie and he shrugged. She lowered her eyes again, their sparkle slowly fading, and touched Billy's arm. She forced a smile. "Do you remember that time we drove to the Toll Bridge?"

"Yeah, yeah." Billy waved her off and leaned over the table closer to Dru. "So what are you driving now? Lexus? Ferrari?"

Dru leaned close as well and said, "A 2001 Mercury. Can you believe it?"

"Ooh, that's rough!"

"I know!" Dru said, smiling for the first time that night. "I might as well be riding in one of those Flinstone cars!"

It was clear by now that Billy and Dru were more interested in talking cars than they were about their respective dates. That left Archie and Ruby having to make chit chat, whispering as if they had to share a table and didn't want to disturb their neighbors.

"You look very nice tonight," Archie said.

Ruby smiled, her face softening in that way it did when she was grateful. "Thank you. I'm sorry about all this."

Archie shrugged. "It's okay. I'm still glad I came." He scooted his chair closer to the table. "Hey, did you get that link I sent you from that Chicago swing troupe?"

"Oh, yeah, they were amazing! Did you see those aerials? Their form is perfect."

"I hope you're not expecting me to toss you in the air like that anytime soon."

"After tonight's dinner, you probably wouldn't be able to lift me."

Archie and Ruby laughed. Music played from the other end of the restaurant. Archie looked across the tables and saw a live band playing soft jazz on a stage in the corner. Ruby noticed it too and tipped her head down shyly. She touched Billy's arm again.

"Want to dance?" she asked.

Billy nudged her hand away. "Not now, hun." He turned his attention back to Dru and they talked breathlessly about Italian sports cars.

Ruby wiped her brow, and straightened her face. Archie noticed that she did that when she was secretly upset. He had seen her make that look when a customer chided her for mixing up their order at the diner. Archie looked at Billy and Dru, angry that such a young and handsome man could ignore someone so beautiful and sweet as Ruby.

Archie stood from the table, straightened his sweater vest, and held a hand out to Ruby. He may have been under-dressed, unprepared, and a little too old for Ruby's crowd, but for the moment, this brief, daring moment, he was going to be suave.

"May I have this dance?"


	5. Double Date (Part 2)

Ch. 5

Roses bloomed in Ruby's cheeks as Archie held his hand out to her.

"C'mon, let's cut a rug," he said, smiling.

Ruby looked over at her date, Billy, but he was still engrossed in a conversation with Dru about hot rods. Ruby smiled at Archie , set her napkin on the table and took his hand. "I'd love to."

Archie held out his arm for Ruby and led her to the empty dance floor. Butterflies danced in her stomach before her feet had a chance to catch the beat. She felt like a debutant or a princess. The jazz band wasn't as lively as Cole Porter or smooth as Billie Holiday, but they played a nice soft tune and the saxophonist was out of this world.

Ruby continued to grin like a dope as Archie pulled her in his arms. They swayed slowly, the music carrying them off the dance floor and onto a cloud of bliss. Archie twirled Ruby around and she laughed. She noticed the other patrons staring from their tables and whispered, "We have an audience."

"Kinda makes me miss Pongo," Archie said.

Ruby chuckled. She looked at him, her face softening, and said, "I'm sorry about Dru. She's not usually this rude."

Archie shrugged and tipped his head down shyly. "It's all right. At least we got to dance tonight."

Ruby tried to suppress a grin, but it came anyway. Archie may not have been the most handsome man at the restaurant, but he was acting like a prince, far more gentlemanly than Billy. Soon, more smiling people took to the dance floor, as if inspired by Ruby and her Fred Astaire. She beamed proudly and caught Billy staring from across the restaurant. Dru was staring, too, only her eyes were fixated on the handsome car mechanic seated across from her.

"I think tonight was a bust," Ruby said, lowering her eyes.

Archie caught on to her sad tone and looked over at their dinner table. Sure enough, Dru was batting her lashes at Billy. Archie was always one to see the goodness in people, and though Billy was probably a nice enough person by himself, the doctor didn't like the way he treated Ruby.

"Why'd you let Billy order for you?" he asked.

Ruby looked at Archie. "Huh?"

"The steak. I thought you liked yours bleeding and crawling away?"

Ruby giggled. "Billy does that sometimes." She rolled her eyes. "He thinks he knows what's best for me."

Archie shook his head and said seriously, "No one knows what's best for you but _you_." He pulled her closer and whispered with the strength and suaveness of a million Bogarts, "You're a strong, independent woman. Don't ever let anyone tell you different."

Ruby stared at Archie, her smile fading. She felt something in her chest, like the vibrations of a plucked harp string that sent waves of warmth cascading through her body. She could have hugged him in this moment, held her face to his neck and smell his aftershave, but the song ended and she felt herself involuntarily pull away.

Archie flashed Ruby a smile and squeezed her hand before letting it go. "We should get back to dinner," he said.

Ruby nodded. She took Archie's arm again and walked with him back across the restaurant. For a brief, barely-there moment, she closed her eyes and pretended they were walking back to their own table, where it was just the two of them, and where they could talk all night about east-coast vs. west-coast swing dancing and she could eat her raw steak without feeling self-conscious. It was a flicker of a fantasy, and it was gone within a heartbeat.

0000000

After a cold dinner and stolen glances at Ruby, Archie ended the night by giving Drusilla a ride home. The rain was relentless, pounding the roof of the car as they drove. Dru was busy fixing her makeup in the visor mirror and only grunted responses when Archie tried to talk. He turned the heat on for her bare legs and only then did she finally smile at him.

"Thanks," she said.

Archie glanced at her quickly, then held the steering wheel tighter as he navigated the rain-soaked streets. The black pavement was slick and glossy. He drove past the mayor's house, through the winding streets of the upper-class neighborhood, and was told by Dru to stop in front of a large chateau-style manor. She unbuckled her seatbelt, flipped the visor mirror up, and turned to Archie.

"It's not that I don't like you," Dru said suddenly. "You're a nice enough guy, but . . ."

"I'm too old and I drive an Audi," Archie said. He smiled weakly at his date. "It's okay. Blind dates rarely every work out."

"You're not _that_ old," Dru said. She grinned genuinely and Archie was surprised to see that she actually had a pretty smile. "And you're a good dancer, too. Where'd you learn to do that?"

Archie shrugged. He lowered his head sheepishly. "I just sort of picked it up."

"Hmm." Dru narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, anyway, maybe Billy and I can double-date with you and Ruby sometime."

Archie whipped his head to Dru, his full attention focused on her. "What?"

"Ruby told me she's breaking up with Billy. We talked about it in the ladies room." Dru leaned over the Archie and said with a coy smile, "Don't worry, I didn't tell her you have a crush on her."

Archie's heart skidded to a stop. His mouth opened and closed like a fish on dry land and he sputtered , "I—what? Y-you don't know what you're—" He laughed unconvincingly. "Th-that's ridiculous."

"Oh, come on!" Dru laughed. "I saw you making puppy eyes at her all night. And then when you asked her to dance—"

"We're just friends, that's all!" Archie said desperately.

Dru raised her brows. "Whatever you say, Doc." She looked him over, sighed contently, and opened the door. "Thanks for dinner. I'm glad I came."

Before she had a chance to step out into the drizzling rain, Archie stopped her and said, "She didn't . . . I mean, did Ruby, y'know . . . say anything about me?"

Dru smiled knowingly, then stepped out of the car. "Goodnight, Doc." She slammed the door shut and ran inside the house.

Archie sat in his car, the heat making his legs sweat. He put the car in drive but kept his foot on the break. Was he really so obvious at dinner? Did it really look like he was lusting after that young woman like some old pervert? He may have had courage on the dance floor, but in the real world, he had what people in his profession called "crippling self-consciousness." The car lurched forward as Archie stepped on the gas and he smiled. So maybe he did have a small crush on Ruby. So what? She was young and pretty and she enjoyed his company.

But that was all.

And that was all there would ever be between them.

The rain had let up by the time Archie drove down Main Street to his apartment. He passed the Inn, where a few lights shined in the windows, then the dark diner that had been closed for the night. It was still early, only a little past ten, but Granny no doubt would be in bed with a glass of milk and a murder mystery novel. Archie drove a few blocks down from the diner, towards the auto shop, and paused at a stop sign. A figure passed under a streetlight, a red scarf over her head and her cloat clutched tightly around her waist.

Ruby.

Archie idled at the stop sign and watched her pass. She was alone, fighting the bitter fall wind with a frown on her face. Archie checked down the street but no one else was around. He made a u-turn at the intersection and slowed the car to catch up with Ruby,

Archie rolled down his window and yelled, "Need a ride?"

Ruby stopped, her face bewildered, then she smiled when she realized who it was. "Yeah, sure!" She ran across the street to Archie's car and got in. "Thanks."

"What are you doing out here alone?" he asked.

Ruby took her gloves off and wiped her nose. "I, uh, broke up with Billy. He was giving me a ride home and we started arguing and . . ." Ruby looked at Archie and smiled sadly. "Well, I told him I would walk home by myself."

"I'm so sorry," Archie said. "Are you okay?"

Ruby nodded. "I will be when I get home."

"Right." Archie pulled away from the curb and continued down the road towards Granny's Inn. He glanced at her occasionally, wondering what the jerk Billy did to make her so upset. First he ordered for him at the restaurant and then he abandoned her on the side of the road. If Archie ever saw him again, he knew he would clock that pretty-boy right in the face.

"This whole night's been a mess," Ruby said.

"Can I ask what the argument was about?"

Ruby shrugged. "I told him the same thing you told me—that I'm a strong, independent woman. He thought I was joking."

"He's an idiot," Archie muttered.

"What?"

Archie looked at Ruby and shook his head. "Nothing. Sorry, go on."

Ruby sighed. "It's not like we were ever very serious to begin with. I think he was cheating on me, anyway."

Archie thought back to the way Drusilla flirted with Billy right in front of Ruby. The young man didn't do anything to discourage it, didn't even apologize or try to engage in conversation with Ruby. It made the doctor's blood boil that someone could be so careless with her feelings.

"Want my advice?" Archie said. "Egg his house."

Ruby burst out laughing. It was music to Archie's ears, as toe-tapping and soulful as JD McPherson. "You have to say that because you're a psychiatrist," Ruby said.

"Actually, I probably _shouldn't_ say that, because I'm a psychiatrist." He smiled and glanced at Ruby, who was looking at him fondly. "But seriously, if you need to talk, my door is always open. No charge."

Ruby's face softened. "Thank you," she said.

They pulled up in front of the Inn. Archie turned the ignition off and offered to walk Ruby to the door. They were silent as they made their way up the front stoop. Archie popped open his umbrella and held it up for Ruby.

"Thanks," she said. She paused at the door at turned to him. "I'm glad we got to dance tonight."

Archie grinned. "Me too."

They stood awkwardly together, leftover rain dripping from the gutters of the roof and onto the umbrella. Ruby fumbled with her keys, smiling like a dope. "Well, um . . . I better get inside."

"Right." Archie chuckled and held out his hand. "Thanks for the dance, Ginger."

Ruby blushed, put her hand in his, and shook it gently. "Back 'atch ya, Fred."

But they didn't let go right away. They usually only held hand for a dance, when they knew they'd be in it together for at least three minutes. But this was difference. There was no music to keep them connected, no beat to cement their hands together. And still, they could not let go.

The porch light came on and they jerked their hands away as if they had been electrocuted. "Thanks again," Ruby said.

"Sure. See you later."

They shuffled apart quickly, discreetly, like teenagers trying to avoid strict parents. Archie practically ran to his car, fearful of Granny's voice bellowing out to him to get back there and explain himself. He drove off without incident, turned the radio up on the jazz station, and smiled all the way home. The hand that had touched Ruby's tingled warmly all night.

**To be continued**


	6. Promiscuous

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. Busy week. Enjoy! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

* * *

Ch. 6

**Audio transcripts from the confidential files of Dr. Archibald Hopper, MD, MSW, LICSW.**

**Date: 11/19/11**

**Time: 6:43pm EST**

**Patient #24, Henry Mills**

Dr. Hopper: Okay, don't be afraid this time, Henry. Just like we practiced.

Mills: I'll fall.

Dr. Hopper: No you won't. It's all about confidence. Now just listen to the beat and let your feet do the work.

[PAUSE. MUSIC]

Mills: I did it!

Dr. Hopper: See? I told you you could do a kick-spin! But remember, when you're leading with a girl, you have to keep your hands above her waist.

Mills: Can we try it again?

Dr. Hopper: Sure. Remember to start on your left foot—

Regina Mills: Dr. Hopper, what are you doing?

Dr. Hopper: Regina! You're supposed to be—

"—meeting Henry in the lobby." Archie turned the tape recorder off, then went to his desk and closed his laptop to silence the music. Mayor Mills stood in the doorway of his office, hands on her hips, a usual scowl on her face.

"Hi, Mom," Henry said, waving.

"Henry, go wait in the hall," Regina said.

Henry gathered his backpack from the couch. "Thanks, Archie. See you next week for the foxtrot."

Archie smiled. "Okay, Henry. Have a good night."

When the child was gone, Archie cleared his throat. He knew this must have looked bad, especially to someone as stern as the mayor. "Is there a problem, Regina?"

Regina crossed her arms. "Yes there is. You're teaching my son how to dance rather than helping him. I'm not paying you to—"

"I know how this looks, Madam Mayor." Archie held up his hands in a kind of truce and moved closer to her. "But dancing can be very therapeutic. It teachers him confidence and trust and how to follow instructions—"

"If I wanted my son to learn how to tango, I'd send him to charm school," Regina said. "You're his therapist, not his dance instructor."

Archie held his hands at his front, a surge of confidence swelling inside of him. "Would it help if I told you that, since I started teaching him to dance, he hasn't once mentioned his book?"

This made Regina pause. She looked Archie over with a skeptical eye and uncrossed her arms. "Fine. If this is some sort of new-age approach to psychiatry, I'm all for it." Regina pointed to him. "As long as you keep treating him as a patient—_not_ a dance partner."

Archie smiled slowly. "That's okay. I already have a partner."

0000000

At lunch the next day, Archie sat at the counter of Granny's Diner with a Cherry Coke, a turkey sandwich, and the watchful eye of Ruby's grandmother. He didn't intend to have a long lunch, just some time away from the office to take a breather from transcribing his notes, but Granny was glaring at him as if he had decided to take root in the diner and never leave.

Ruby would pass Archie once and a while with a serving tray, flashing him a smile or a toss of her hair. Once, halfway through his sandwich, Archie felt Ruby flick the back of his neck. When he turned to look at her, she giggled and trotted to the next table. As soon as Archie swiveled back around, Granny was right in front of his face.

"Augh!" Archie jumped and dropped his sandwich. "Hi, Granny."

The old woman glowered at him. "Don't you 'hi Granny' me, son. I know what you've been up to."

Archie swallowed hard. A bit of turkey was stuck in the back of his throat and he coughed. The only thing worse than not having dance lessons with Ruby was having Granny find out, but Ruby didn't seem to know that her grandmother was upset. Maybe the old woman was talking about something else.

"What do you mean?" Archie asked.

Granny looked at her granddaughter from over Archie's shoulder, then leaned in and whispered harshly, "I know you've been coming here late at night, dancing and partying with my granddaughter."

The turkey piece seemed to grow bigger and Archie struggled to keep the lump in his throat down. "Mrs. Lucas, I assure you, it's not what it looks like—"

"Really? Then why did Ruby try to hide it from me?"

Archie licked his lips, pushed his plate aside, and pulled himself closer to the counter. "It was wrong of us to keep it from you. It's just that Ruby was afraid you'd disapprove—"

"Oh, I disapprove!" Granny said loudly. A few patrons looked their way and Ruby stopped to listen from across the diner. "Just what do you think you're doing with my granddaughter, Dr. Hopper?"

Archie held his hands up the same way he did with Regina last night. It was his only defense besides his words. "We're just friends, Mrs. Lucas. I promise. My intentions are not dishonorable, and I would never dream of upsetting you or Ruby."

Granny stole a glance at Ruby again, and the young girl jumped back to work. Granny lowered her voice and said, "She's just a child, Archie. She doesn't need ideas put in her head."

"What ideas?" Archie asked.

Granny sighed and pursed her lips. "I've never been very fond of Ruby's choice in men. And that last one, Billy—he was the worst yet." She looked at Archie with sincere concern. "I know you say you're just friends, Dr. Hopper. But people in this town talk. And if they see you two together, dancing the night away . . ." The old woman paused and looked down as if she might regret what she was about to say. "Ruby already has a reputation for being somewhat . . . _promiscuous_. Don't give these people anything more to talk about. That's all I ask."

Archie nodded slowly as if he understood, but inside he was a raging mess of emotions. Anger. Hatred. Hurtfulness. Defiance. His mouth twisted into a tight frown and he stood, throwing some cash on the counter for his meal. He gathered his briefcase and said to Granny, "With all due respect, Mrs. Lucas . . . Ruby is a grown woman. And she can make her own decisions."

He left boldly, head held high even as his knees quivered. He didn't dare glance back at Ruby for fear of breaking down and really laying into Granny. He respected her and even understood where the old woman was coming from, but Archie would sooner have punched a hole in the wall than listen to anyone insult Ruby.

He went back to his office, poured himself a scotch at just one in the afternoon, and listened to JD McPherson until his next patient came in.

**To be continued**


	7. Casablanca

Ch. 7

That night, a knock sounded on Archie's door just as he was about to prepare dinner. He had had a hard time of it since Granny's little chat, and the universe seemed to be conspiring against him. A patient yelled at him, called him a quack, and Archie's battery died on his laptop so he couldn't listen to Cole Porter until he got home to charge it. Now he just wanted to eat in peace, light a fire and read in his leather chair with Pongo at his feet.

The knocking continued. Archie washed his hands of the chicken fat and spices he had been cooking with and opened his door. He stepped back, startled.

Ruby stood before him in her coat and ear muffs. She had pulled her hair up into a tight bun since he last saw her at the diner, and though she offered a polite smile, the young woman had a twinge of sadness in her eyes. "Hi," she said simply.

"Ruby. Hi." Archie was still shocked, still utterly wordless that the beautiful girl was standing outside his apartment. His heart fluttered nervously. Was she hurt? Did something happen?

"Sorry to bother you." Ruby bit her lip and glanced to the side. "Um, Granny and I had a fight."

Archie blinked. He had been a psychiatrist for as long as he could remember, but he didn't know how to handle a vulnerable woman at his door. He decided to treat her like a patient, it was easier that way, and stepped aside to usher her in. "Come in, please."

Ruby came inside, her scent of fruity perfume and diner grease wafting in Archie's face and making him forget his own name. Archie closed the door and looked around his apartment, cursing himself that he hadn't tidied up. "Is everything okay? What happened?"

Ruby sat at the dinner table and took her ear muffs off. "Granny told me about your conversation with her today. I'm really sorry about that, I didn't think—"

"No, no." Archie sat at the table across from her. "It's fine. She's just looking out for you."

Ruby focused on her hands, which were held together delicately on the table. Her eyes retained that awful, subtle sadness. "I can't believe she said those things to you."

"Well, she—"

Ruby stood suddenly and she paced angrily. "I mean, like, we were just dancing! We weren't hurting anyone, and no one really even knew and we always made sure to clean up the diner afterwards—"

"Ruby, I think—"

"And she said I have a '_reputation_'!" Ruby threw her hands up. "What does that even mean?"

Archie sat back in his chair. It was useless to try and calm her down, not when she was blinded by crimson rage. The doctor surmised that she wasn't used to losing fights with her grandmother. Ruby sat back down and looked at Archie guiltily.

"Do you think she's right?"

"About what?" Archie asked.

"Everything. Me. You. Do you think people will talk?"

Archie rubbed his chin and sighed. He would be lying if he didn't worry that Ruby was putting herself in a position to be whispered about—hell, even Archie wondered if the people who passed him by on the sidewalk mumbled about him out of earshot, calling him' the cradle-robber,' or the 'old perv,' even though Ruby was of age and, well, he wasn't _that_ old—

"Do you like dancing?" he asked.

Ruby looked at him. She seemed stunned by the question; as if he had asked her if she liked breathing. A small grin curled her lips. She nodded. "Yeah. I do."

"If it makes you happy, then why do you care what other people think?"

Ruby tilted her head to side. She looked remarkably like Pongo when Archie asked him if he wanted a treat. Her smile grew wider. "You're really great, Archie. Do you know that?"

Dr. Hopper felt himself blush and he looked away to avoid her gaze. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and cleared his throat. "I, uh . . ." He couldn't help but smile like an idiot. "Thank you."

Ruby bit her lip again, but this time as if to suppress a giggle, and looked forlornly at the door. "I should let you get back to what you're doing."

Archie stood from the table as soon as Ruby shot up. "You gonna be okay?"

Ruby put her earmuffs on and nodded. "I'm staying with Emma and Mary Margaret tonight. But they're both gone, so it's top ramen for dinner." She laughed unconvincingly.

Archie glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen. The chicken still needed to be spiced and there were some vegetables to wash. He always bought more than he needed at the grocery store—Marco often told him that he shopped with his stomach rather than his wallet. Archie shifted nervously, then held a hand out to Ruby and said, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Her bright, teeth-baring smile was all the answer he needed.

0000000

Archie had seen Ruby deliver hundreds of plates of food to customers, but he had never really seen her eating anything, herself. Even on their double date with Billy and Dru, Ruby only picked at her well-done steak and nibbled her veggies like a countess on ceremony for the Queen Mum. She was probably trying to be a lady for Billy, but with all pretenses set aside, Archie was astonished to see her eat like a wild animal.

Ruby took large forkfuls of chicken and chewed loudly, her mouth closed but her lips smacking with every bite. When she had a dollop of salad dressing or sauce on the corner of her lip, she licked it away with the tip of her tongue. Once or twice, she used the back of her hand as a napkin.

Archie should have been appalled by her table manners, but instead he was intrigued. The woman had an appetite like a man's—no, not even a man's, a wolf was more like it—and she had no intention of apologizing for it. They barely talked throughout the meal, only when Ruby finally looked up from her plate and saw Archie staring.

"Wuh?" she asked, her mouth full of food. "Sowwry, am ah eatin' oo fass?"

Archie burst out laughing and dropped his fork on his plate. He grabbed the plate of boiled potatoes and offered them to her. "Want some more?"

Ruby swallowed. "Please." She grinned and loaded her plate again. Pongo kept a close vigil, his eyes following her fork as best he could, but even the sneaky Dalmatian was too slow for her lightning-fast hands.

After dinner, Archie made a pot of coffee and put a frozen pie in the oven he had bought from a French bakery on Maine Street. He had no intention of keeping Ruby later than she wanted, but the young woman didn't seem too eager to leave. He watched her from the kitchen as he brewed the coffee. She was in the living room, glancing over his collection of DVDs as Pongo lounged on the couch.

"Can I make a fire?" Ruby asked.

Archie spilled the dark roast beans from the fancy foil bag he was pouring into the brewer. A dozen or so clattered to the tiled floor and Pongo leapt from the couch and made a bee line for the mess. Archie got on his haunches and held his dog back. He scrambled to pick up the beans, tossing them on the counter and prying them from Pongo's mouth.

"Uh . . . I, uh . . ." Archie stood so fast, he felt woozy. "Sure!"

The doctor's heart fluttered in his chest. Was he having a seizure? He fiddled with the brewer, his hands shaking, and finally got a pot boiling. The oven beeped, fully preheated, and he jumped from the noise. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

Dinner.

Coffee.

A fire.

It had been a long time, but Archie was almost sure this was what a date looked like. Next thing he knew, Ruby would come into the kitchen with a movie she wanted to watch and they'd end up on the couch with a blanket and—

"Is this any good?"

Archie jumped again as Ruby stood in the kitchen with a DVD in hand. He gaped. Jesus, he was psychic. Ruby was holding up _Casablanca_. Confusion wrapped itself around his nervous brain. "You've never seen it?"

Ruby shrugged.

Archie's trepidation of the lovely young woman's presence in his home took a back seat to the appalling idea that Ruby had never seen _Casablanca_. His brain switched to a mode even he couldn't describe—a nagging itch to teach this girl about the greatest movie ever made. He kept mumbling "can't believe you've never seen it" as he put a log on the fire, poured Ruby a cup of coffee, and popped the DVD in the player. He sat on the large leather armchair, giving Ruby the couch all to herself. She took the cashmere throw blanket from the arm of the cream-colored sofa and snuggled in.

When the credits started, Archie's apprehension about the situation returned. What if Granny found out they were having a movie night? There was no way she wouldn't believe something fishy wasn't going on then. And what was Ruby thinking right now? Archie stared at her, trying desperately to decipher the happy look on her face. Was she grateful for a night to herself? Was she simply trying to be a good guest after the meal he had cooked for her? Archie wished she would just come out and say what she was feeling. It twisted his insides like barbed wire.

As the movie went on and they ate cherry pie, Archie let those concerns melt away. Tonight wasn't any different than the nights they would dance together, anyway. No one got hurt. They were both happy. And, most importantly, no one had to know.

"She's so pretty," Ruby sighed at the TV screen.

Ingrid Bergman was chatting with Bogart, the soft lighting and violin music making the pair look like angels. Archie's eyes wandered to Ruby, and he smiled as she gazed dreamily at the Hollywood royalty. Pongo curled up next to Ruby on the couch and she patted his head.

Archie had never been more at peace his entire life.

On the last scene of the movie, when Ingrid got on the plane and Bogart was left on the foggy tarmac, Archie caught Ruby sniffling, tears welling in her eyes. On the last line of the movie, "_This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship_," a single tear rolled down Ruby's cheek.

Archie smiled. He had the urge to go over there and wipe her tear away, but kept his chair. "Did you like it?"

Ruby nodded and stared at the TV. She wiped her face. "It's so sad they couldn't be together." She sniffled again, then looked at Archie and threw a small couch pillow at him. It hit him right in the face. "Why didn't you tell me this was a sad movie?"

Archie laughed. "Sorry. But you liked it, right?"

Ruby grinned. It was the same smile she gave on the dance floor, when Archie had her in his arms and he felt like the king of the world. "I loved it," she said. Ruby sighed, stretched, and got up from the couch. "I better get going."

Archie turned the TV off and stood. "Okay." He motioned to the kitchen. "Do you want to take some pie home?"

Ruby smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm okay." She gathered her coat and put her earmuffs on. "I never had a guy cook for me before," she said, wrapping her scarf around her neck.

Archie grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry it had to be me. I'm not much of a culinary wizard."

"No, it was great! You should give me the recipe so we can make it at the diner."

Dr. Hopper laughed and stuck his hands in his pockets. Ruby seemed to hesitate by the door, checking her purse for something and fiddling with her hair.

"So, uh . . . where are we going to dance now?" she asked.

Archie shrugged. "I don't know." He moved around to the door so the kitchen table wasn't separating them anymore. "We could always use my office. I can clear a space between patients."

"Really?"

"Sure. I . . ." Archie ducked his head to avoid her eyes and mumbled, "I like dancing with you."

Ruby grinned, showing her pearly whites. "You're the sweetest guy I've ever met." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

Archie stiffened—man, she really smelled good—and when Ruby pulled away, she was blushing. The young woman cleared her throat and jutted her thumb towards the door. "I, uh—I should go. Thanks again for dinner." Ruby turned for the door, but forgot it was closed and smacked her face right into it.

"Oh, jeeze—"

"I'm fine!" Ruby opened the door, holding her nose, and gave a quick wave to Archie. "Sorry. I'm . . ." She laughed. "Okay, goodnight!"

"Bye."

Ruby was out the door like lightning, and Archie closed it just as quickly. It was obvious Ruby was embarrassed, either by the kiss or the clumsy fall, he didn't know. But, just like in those cheesy romantic comedies he had watched once or twice, Archie put his back to the door and smiled like a dope. Ruby's lips were still warm on his face, still sweet and impossibly red, like the cherry pie they had eaten earlier. He put a hand over his thudding heart and replayed the night in his head.

Everything had been perfect. Stunning.

Archie knew, without a doubt, that he was in love.

**To be continued**


	8. Talent

Ch. 8

Something weird was happening to Ruby. Emma noticed it when she came into the diner that morning for breakfast, and again later that day when she took Henry for hot cocoa. It wasn't the dancing or even the humming that piqued Emma's curiosity—Ruby had been a one-woman musical for weeks now, twirling as she brought customers their orders and singing something about "a north side gal" when she was alone at the register—but the way Ruby smiled and stared dreamily out the window raised a red flag for Emma.

Midday was slow for the diner on this Sunday. A light, dusty snow frosted the street outside and pumpkin spiced chai was in high demand. Henry flipped through his book, sipping his cocoa and wearing a dashing white foam moustache. Ruby came by with extra cinnamon sticks and Emma plopped one in her drink.

"Anything else?" Ruby asked, a bright smile on her face.

Emma peered up at the young girl. "You're chipper. Why are you chipper?"

Ruby put a hand on her hip. "What do you mean?"

"C'mon, I've seen you gazing out the window." Emma smiled. "Who is he?"

Ruby's grin faltered, but only slightly. She glanced over her shoulder and knelt next to the booth. "Okay, you're right," she whispered excitedly. "I think I have a crush on someone."

"Who?" Emma asked.

"Archie," Henry said.

The two women looked at the boy as he scanned his book of fairytales. "_Archie_?" Emma repeated.

"How did you know?" Ruby asked.

Emma's confused stare shot to Ruby. "So it's true?"

"He talks about you sometimes during our sessions," Henry continued. He flipped the page. "I think he likes you, too."

"Really?" Ruby's smile widened. She glanced around the diner again but Granny was in the back room. Ruby sat next to Emma, bumping the sheriff aside, and said to Henry, "What does he say about me?"

"Wait, wait," Emma said. "You mean Dr. _Hopper_? Isn't he a little . . . I mean, he's kind of old for you."

"He's not _that_ old!" Ruby rolled her eyes. "And he's so sweet. We have so much fun together."

"I've never even seen you two hang out," Emma said. "When did all this start?"

"Ruby?" Granny came from the back room and stood behind the front counter.

Ruby stood from the booth and whispered to Henry, "Does he really talk about me?"

Henry finally looked up at the waitress. "Sometimes. Mostly about how you guys like to dance together."

"Um, isn't this classified as doctor-patient confidentiality?" Emma said.

"Oh, please." Ruby waved the sheriff off. "What else, Henry?"

"Ruby!"

The young girl jumped. "Coming!" she yelled to Granny. Ruby pointed to Henry. "Tell me everything when I get back." She dashed off and met Granny at the counter. The old woman glared at Ruby with beady eyes.

"I just talked with Klaus."

"Klaus?"

"The short-order cook," Granny said. The old woman crossed her arms hotly. "I asked him why we were missing a tray of lasagna from the freezer and he said you bumped into him yesterday."

"So?"

"_So_, he said you were doing some kind of funny dance move and you knocked the tray right from his hands! That's nearly thirty dollars of food, Ruby!"

Ruby sighed. "Then take it out of my paycheck." She turned to head back to Emma's table, but Granny grabbed her arm.

"This ends now, Ruby!" Granny let go of her granddaughter's arm, her face stern and unwavering. "I'm glad you found something to be passionate about, but when you're in the diner, you need to act like—"

"What, a waitress?" Ruby shot back. "I'm not exactly splitting atoms, Granny! I'm just giving people food."

"And you're acting like a damn fool while doing it! You're not a child, Ruby, you have to start acting like an adult!"

"Dancing isn't childish, Granny!" Ruby's voice was raised enough for the whole diner to hear. "Why can't you just let me be happy?"

"Because that doctor has eyes for you, and I don't like it!" Granny glanced around her diner and lowered her voice. "He's too old for you, Ruby. This whole dancing thing is just a ruse for him to—"

"There's nothing going on with me and Archie!" Ruby yelled. "And even if there was, it's none of your business!" The young waitress took her apron off and threw it on the counter.

"What're you doing?" Granny asked.

"Taking a break. Or am I not allowed outside without your permission?"

"Ruby—" But the old woman's granddaughter was headed for the door before she could stop her. Ruby slammed the glass door as hard as she could, rattling the "open" sign.

Ruby walked down Main Street without a coat. She had on a pair of jeans and a red plaid shirt, but her heels were far too impractical for an impromptu walk. Ruby thought about turning back, but her anger kept her moving forward. She didn't like how Granny talked about Archie, as if she had everything figured out about him and his "intentions." Granny had always liked the doctor, anyway—so why was she so mistrustful of him now? Was there any truth to Archie's feelings of more than friendship?

Ruby smiled to herself, the memory of her sort-of date with Archie keeping her warm—their intimate dinner, the coziness of the fireplace, the way he gushed about _Casablanca_ and stared at her in that way that made her go weak in the knees. Maybe he really did want to be more than friends.

But how could she ask someone like Archie out on a date? He was the intellectual kind, a man who used million-dollar words like "exacerbate " and "panacea." All Ruby had to offer him was some dance moves and the occasional tuna melt from Granny's diner. He needed someone he could discuss books and art with, someone to offer him advice on how to help a patient or transcribe notes. He didn't need some young, flighty girl who only read _Cosmo_ and didn't even know how to spell "exacerbate" without giggling.

Sadness weighed Ruby's steps. Maybe she had been too hasty with her feelings.

A little ways down the sidewalk, Ruby noticed Pongo trotting down the street with Archie in tow. Ruby turned, mortified, and headed back to the diner.

"Ruby?"

The young girl stopped. Turned. Archie caught up with her, a smile on his face. "I was just coming to see you," he said. He frowned suddenly when he noticed she wasn't wearing a jacket. "You look freezing. Here, take this." He slipped off his long coat and wrapped it around Ruby's shoulders.

"Thanks." Ruby lowered her head and stared at Pongo to avoid Archie's gaze.

"What're you doing out here?" Dr. Hopper asked.

"Um . . ." Ruby shifted. Archie's coat was warm and smelled like his aftershave. She slowly raised her hooded eyes to him. His red hair shined like fire against the drifting snow. Her heart skidded, flipped, swung to the Lindy Hop and she felt herself smiling. "I was looking for you, too."

"Oh, you must've seen the flier." Archie reached in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.

"What flier?" Ruby took the paper from his extended hand and read it over.

**STORYBROOK'S 1****st**** ANNUAL TALENT CONTEST!**

**DECEMBER 8****TH****, STORYBROOK HIGH AUDITORIUM**

**ALL TALENTS WELCOME!**

**1****ST**** PLACE PRIZE $1,000!**

**SIGNUP BEGINS NOV. 18****TH**

Ruby looked at Archie, her brows crinkled. "I don't understand."

"I thought it'd be fun if we signed up," Archie said, smiling. "We could dance."

Ruby pursed her lips and handed the flier back to Archie. "I don't know . . ."

"C'mon, it'll be great! We can split the money, and you can show Granny how talented you are."

Ruby smiled slowly. "You think I'm talented?"

Archie blushed, but it might have been from the cold. "Of course. And, y'know, we still have a few weeks to practice, so we can really show everyone our moves."

Ruby opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. The idea of competing thrilled her—to be on stage all dressed up, dancing to JD McPherson as fluidly as any Ginger Rogers or Cyd Charisse. And maybe Archie was right, maybe Granny would finally see how passionate she was about dancing and cut her some slack.

"I guess it would be fun," Ruby said.

Archie's smile grew ten times larger. "Great!"

"We should probably keep practicing in secret, though," Ruby said. "Just so the competition doesn't get wise to us." She didn't want to tell him she was worried about Granny finding out again.

Archie laughed. "Listen to you, Ingrid Bergman. We can start tomorrow, if you want."

Ruby nodded. "Okay." She glanced over her shoulder. "I, uh . . . have to get back to work."

"Sure. I should let Pongo finish his walk." Archie waved and turned to head back down the street.

"Hey, wait!" Ruby called.

The doctor turned.

Ruby stared at him, a million questions threatening to leap from her tongue—_Do you really like me? Am I too young for you? Can we watch movies next to the fire and eat pie and dance slowly and will you hold my hand like that time you walked me home and_—

"You forgot your jacket." As soon as she said it, Ruby hated herself. She slipped the coat from her shoulders and handed it back to Archie.

Dr. Hopper took it back and smiled. "You looked better in it than me, anyway."

Ruby gave him an unconvincing laugh. She waved with her fingers (God, why was she so _girly_?) and Archie turned back around with a wave of his own. She watched him go for a moment, swearing she could hear him whistle as he practically skipped down the sidewalk. Ruby finally headed back to the diner, arms crossed over her chest, still smelling faintly of Archie's aftershave.

They had three weeks to practice. Three weeks to show the town that they were an unstoppable team. It was a thought that kept Ruby going the rest of the day as Granny scowled at her from behind the counter.

_You'll see_, Ruby thought. _You'll all see_.

**To be continued**


	9. Sneaking Out

Ch. 9

Ruby and Archie wasted no time signing up for the talent contest. Ruby met him after work outside City Hall, where the sign-up sheet was tacked to the giant information board. There were already at least seven names on the list, some surprising and others a given, like Marco (surprising), Henry (not-so-surprising), and Sidney Glass (utterly baffling).

Archie walked Ruby home and they chatted all the way about their routine, what song to use, even what they would wear. Archie stopped a few houses away from the Inn. Ruby picked up on his hesitation and, not wanting another lecture from Granny, waved and said she could walk the rest of the way by herself.

Ruby stayed in her room the rest of the night, watching old videos of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on the internet. Archie also stayed in his room, going through his clothes to pick out an outfit for the show. He focused on red—no doubt Ruby would come up with a fantastic dress in that same color—and decided on a red button-down shirt and a black tie.

Ruby approved of the choice when she saw him the next day in his office. Archie's schedule was clear from one to three, and Ruby didn't have to work until four, so they pushed furniture aside and blared Benny Goodman from the computer, dancing until they were out of breath and sweaty. Ruby blushed as Archie held her close, thinking sheepishly that their lovemaking on the dance floor was like lovemaking in real life—their hearts pumping, their breath labored, their bodies swaying rhythmically in tune with one another. It was a fleeting thought that made her lose her grip on his hand and fall to the hardwood floor when he tried to twirl her.

"Are you okay?" Archie asked, kneeling next to his fallen partner.

"I-I'm fine." Ruby laughed, her face scorching with embarrassment. "Sorry, just lost my footing."

"Maybe we should try ball-changing on the two, instead?"

Ruby snorted a laugh, then slapped a hand over her mouth. She stood on quivering legs, feeling giddy and dirty and just plain _silly_. It was the oddest sensation that wouldn't let her go since her movie night with Archie—everything was funny, rose-tinted and musical—and she felt like she had stepped into an alternate world where pain and sadness was a foreign language. Ruby wondered if this was what it was like to be properly drunk.

"You're in love," Emma said. It was the next day and Ruby stopped by the station while the sheriff was working to deliver her a turkey sandwich. And some concern.

"_Love_?" Ruby parroted. "That's a little heavy."

Emma shrugged. Her feet were up on her desk, chunks of shaved turkey falling into the napkin on her lap. "There's lots of different kinds of love. But when it hits you, man—" she raised her brows and shook her head, "—it hits you _hard_."

Ruby dangled her feet as she sat on the edge of the sheriff's desk and looked out the window. More snow had fallen overnight, covering the town in a white cottony blanket. She realized, in the peaceful whiteness of the outside, that she had never been in love before. Her flings with boys (yes, they were boys, not men like Archie) were too short-lived for it to blossom into anything other than infatuation. All Ruby knew about love was what she heard in songs on the radio. Sleepless nights. Erratic dancing. Smiling like a goof. And then there was the sickness, a real ailment that Ruby had always thought was just an exaggeration. She felt nauseous if she was away from Archie too long, her heart flaking away like fine chocolate with no one to taste it.

Ruby looked at Emma. "Do you think it's weird?"

"What, you and Archie?" Emma pondered this for a moment, taking a giant bite of her sandwich and flicking mayo from the corner of her mouth with her pinky. She shrugged. "I can see it, I guess. Archie doesn't exactly scream "teen heartthrob," but he does have kind of a dorky charm."

Ruby giggled. "Did I tell you he made dinner for me? He even baked a pie."

"Really?"

"Well, it was frozen, but—"

"Jeeze, it sounds like he's got it bad for you, too. Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

Ruby's smile faded and she lowered her head. "No, I-I couldn't."

"_What_?" Emma took her feet of the desk and sat up. "I've never known you to be shy around guys, Ruby."

"Well, this is different!" Ruby stood from the desk and adjusted her red knit beret. "What if he actually doesn't think of me like that? What if he just sees me as a dance partner?"

"There's only one way to find out."

"Yeah, but—" Ruby let out a frustrated sigh. "If he doesn't feel the same way, it'll be awkward until the talent show. I don't want to jeopardize our chances."

Emma shrugged. "Then don't tell him."

Ruby rolled her eyes and groaned. "You're not helpful at all!" She turned on her heels and stomped out of the office.

Emma grinned as she chewed her sandwich. "Tell him!" she called after the young girl.

0000000

Ruby hadn't intended to sneak out of the house the next night. It was just that Granny was sitting in the den, on the chair facing closest to the door, and Ruby didn't stand a chance trying to get past her without giving an explanation. The old woman was knitting one of her elaborate scarves while watching _Murder Files_, laughing at the TV whenever the murderer got caught.

"Good luck in prison, pretty boy!" Granny snickered.

Ruby was crouched on the stairs, waiting for Granny to get up to go to the bathroom or get something from the kitchen, but the innkeeper had planted herself in her armchair with no intention of missing another grisly case. Ruby finally gave up stalking and retreated to her room. She relied on an old standby that had served her well when she used to sneak out to see Billy: bed sheets out the window. It was a cliché, but it worked. She tied one end of the red cotton sheets to the foot of her four-poster bed, and threw the other ends out the window.

It wasn't a far climb down, only three stories, but there was nothing to break Ruby's fall except the cement patio. She inched herself down, her boots catching the neighboring windowsills. On the second floor, the window opened from a guest's room and Leroy poked his head out. He scowled at Ruby as she dangled precariously from the wall.

"What do you think you're doin', sister?"

"Shh!" Ruby grunted as she continued lowering herself down. She whispered to the gruff janitor, "Do me a favor—go up to my room and untie the bed sheets when I get down. Put them under my bed so Granny doesn't see."

"What's in it for me?" Leroy asked.

Ruby finally reached the patio and jumped down the half-story to her feet. "I'll bring you back some whiskey!"

Leroy's face brightened. "Crown Royal?"

Ruby gave him a look. "Don't push it."

Leroy turned his head, cupped a hand next to his mouth, and yelled, "Hey, Granny! _Graaaany_!"

"Shh!" Ruby hissed. "Okay, okay! Crown Royal."

"You have a deal." He blew Ruby a kiss like a knight bidding his lover farewell and retreated back inside.

Ruby backed away from the inn and crouched near the bushes until she was sure Leroy would hold up his end of the bargain. When her crimson sheets slithered back up into her room, Ruby turned and fled down the street. She was out of breath by the time she reached Archie's. He opened the door to his apartment with a wide smile. Ruby could smell something cooking on the stove and her stomach rumbled.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi. Come on in." Archie motioned her inside. "Was Granny upset?"

"Uh . . ." Ruby looked around the room, avoiding Archie's eyes as he took her coat. "She was fine. I told her I was hanging out with Mary Maragret."

Archie twisted his mouth into a frown as he hung up Ruby's coat. "It's a shame we have to lie."

Guilt pierced Ruby's heart. "I'll give her some of the prize money if we win the talent show."

"_When_ we win," Archie assured, his smile returning.

Ruby grinned. She tapped her fists together nervously and hoped she wasn't being too obvious with her red dress and hoop earrings. She told herself she just wanted to get Archie's opinion on the garment for the show, and from the dazzled look in his eye, Ruby knew he liked it.

Ruby got to work on the computer as Archie finished making dinner. She was looking at detailed dance moves, steps drawn out by professionals in Boston, Chicago, and LA. She made notes about timing and how to present herself at a competition, big smiles and graceful bows, and pulled up her favorite clips of dance competitions she had e-mailed to herself.

"I like West-coast style," Ruby said from the kitchen table. "I think we should do that one."

"Are you sure?" Archie said from the kitchen. He was taking a casserole from the oven with the most adorable pair of powder blue oven mitts.

He carried the glass dish to the table, tossed one of his mitts down, and set the casserole on top. Ruby licked her lips. It smelled like mushrooms and gravy, potatoes and some cut of beef. She carried Archie's laptop to the living room and set it on the couch next to a sleeping Pongo.

"Maybe Balboa-style is better," Ruby said, sitting at the table.

"Ooh, I like that one." Archie scooped up some casserole with a ladle and loaded Ruby's pale. He had already poured them milk and set bread and butter next to the glass dish. "How are you feeling about aerials?"

Ruby shrugged and dug her fork in the scrumptious-looking food without waiting for Archie. "I think I'll be okay. As long as you catch me."

Archie sat opposite of Ruby and smiled dreamily. "Always." He raised his glass.

Ruby blushed and raised hers. They clinked milk glasses and laughed. Ruby brought a forkful of the dish to her lips and moaned happily. It was delicious. Archie watched her eat, smiling with that glazed, far-off look on his face. Ruby wasn't ashamed of her appetite anymore. She knew good food when she tasted it and thought it was a compliment to eat like an animal.

Halfway through the meal, Ruby stopped eating and slowly put her fork down. She watched Archie nibble his food like a rabbit, an adorable red-furred rabbit in glasses. She grinned, knowing it must have taken him a while to prepare the food, to light the fire, and to pick out the perfect jazz soundtrack for their meal. It was the most romantic "non-date" Ruby had ever been on, even better than their last meal together.

"Archie?"

The doctor raised his head and looked at Ruby. "Hmm?"

_Just tell him how you feel_, Emma had said. As if it was as easy as all that. As if there was no chance Archie would refuse her, let her down gently but still wounding her greatly. The idea that he reciprocated her feelings thrilled her. They could have dates like this all the time, and maybe she could even cook for him, watch old movies, read the paper together on Sunday afternoons and . . .

"I, uh . . ." Ruby opened and closed her mouth like a fish on land. She smiled shyly, and Archie's face suddenly got very serious, very hopeful. "I think I . . . I-I mean, I want to tell you—"

Ruby's phone rang, breaking her stuttering confession. She blinked as if snapping out of a daydream. Archie shook his head slightly, coming down from his own dream-like state, and motioned to her purse on the table.

"You gonna get that?" he asked.

Ruby sighed. On the one hand, she was grateful for the interruption. On the other, she could have killed whomever was on the other end. Ruby excused herself from the table and fished her cell phone from her red sequined purse. It was a number she didn't recognize, and Ruby wondered for a moment if Granny had found out and was calling from a payphone to try and trick her.

Ruby flipped the phone open and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"

Archie watched Ruby quizzically. Her face went from confused, to alarmed, then confused again.

"What?" Ruby cried.

Archie stood. "What is it?" he whispered.

"Are you sure?" Ruby said into the phone.

There was a tick of silence, a heartbeat of terror that filled the room as Ruby's eyes became increasingly more upset.

"Okay, I'll be right there." Ruby snapped the phone shut. Tears welled in her eyes. "Granny's in the hospital."

**To be continued**


	10. Parting Ways

Ch. 10

Archie and Ruby were dead silent as they drove to the hospital. Archie maneuvered the streets with the precision of a secret service team taking the president to an undisclosed locale. Ruby worried her nails, chewing them until they were jagged stubs and jiggling her knee to release her anxiety.

When they got to the hospital, Archie followed Ruby to the third floor where Granny's room was. Dr. Whale greeted them outside the room. His handsome face was hard to read.

"What happened?" Ruby cried. "Is she okay? Did she—?"

"She's fine," Dr. Whale said. "She took a fall down the stairs and got a little bruised up."

Ruby put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, God!"

"There are no broken bones, no bleeding . . ." Dr. Whale paused and glanced at Archie from over Ruby's shoulder. "We did have to give her morphine, though."

"Why? What happened?"

Dr. Whale rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at Ruby hesitantly. "Well, she was a little _feisty_ when she got here."

Ruby sighed impatiently. "Can I see her, please?"

"I don't think you'll—"

"Step aside, Whale!" Archie demanded.

Ruby looked at Dr. Hopper, and even Whale seemed thrown off and impressed by the timid man's shouting. Dr. Whale nodded and stepped to the side.

"Fine. See for yourself."

Archie stayed behind as Ruby dashed into the room. Granny was in her bed, the bed sheets wrapped around her like a confused snake. She had a dazed, confused look on her face, the ceiling telling her secrets that no one else could hear. A petite nurse set a cup of chipped ice on the pull-down table before Granny.

Ruby clutched her purse, the only thing holding her to the earth. Tears blurred her vision but she refused to let them escape her eyes. "Granny?" she whispered. "Are you okay?"

Granny's head lolled towards Ruby. She narrowed her eyes and motioned for her granddaughter to come near. Ruby cautiously moved closer. She had never seen the old woman so out of her gourde, not even when she had a few too many to drink at her Saturday night poker games.

"Ruby . . ." Granny's voice was hoarse, barely a murmur.

Ruby knelt to her grandmother's side and took her hand. "I'm here, Granny."

Granny blinked, her face scrunching in anger, and she took the cup of chipped ice and hit Ruby over the head with it.

"Ow!" Ruby clamored back.

"You awful, awful girl!" Granny cried. She scooped a handful of ice chips and threw them at her granddaughter.

"Granny, stop!"

"I was worried sick! I thought you were kidnapped!"

"Doctor!" the nurse cried. She tried in vain to hold the old woman down, but Granny had the strength of ten men, even while doped up.

Ruby shrieked as more ice chips were thrown at her. She ran out the door and past Whale as he charged into the room. "I told you!" he said.

Archie was there to catch Ruby. The young girl wasn't so much upset as she was blindsided by her granny's sudden outburst.

"What's going on?" Archie asked.

"I don't know!" Ruby touched the bump on her head Granny had given her. "She's gone crazy!"

From inside the room, a string of obscenities flew from the old woman's mouth as two nurses and Dr. Whale tried to calm her down.

"Ruby, I'll tan your hide!" she yelled. "This is the last time you'll see daylight, you little—!"

"Mrs. Lucas, please calm down!" Dr. Whale pleaded.

"Up yours, Fabio!"

Ruby screamed as her grandmother threw a bedpan at the doctor. He ducked in time for it to fly past his head and hit the wall. The other nurse stuck a needle in Granny's IV, and within seconds the old woman fell asleep.

"My God!" Archie cried.

Ruby couldn't contain it any longer and flung herself against Archie's chest. He held her close and stroked her hair as she cried.

"Yeesh, what'd I miss?"

Ruby released herself from Archie and turned to the voice. Leroy appeared from the men's room. "What happened?" she asked him. "Did you bring her here?"

"Calm down, sister! Yeah, I brought her. She took a tumble down the stairs after seeing you had snuck out. I tried to stop her, but she was like a hurricane."

Ruby touched her face. "This is my fault. God, I shouldn't have snuck out!"

"You told me Granny thought you were at Mary Margaret's," Archie said.

"I lied!" Ruby cried. She threw her face in her hands. "I'm a terrible person! I almost killed my grandmother!"

"Calm down, Ruby," Archie said softly. He put his hands on her shoulders. "She'll be all right."

"No!" Ruby jerked herself away from Archie and shook her head. "I can't keep doing this. I can't keep lying to her just so I can go off dancing with you!"

"_Dancing_?" Leroy raised his brow.

"I've been so selfish," Ruby continued. "I need to grow up."

Slowly, ever so slowly, Archie's face fell into a frown. "What're you saying?"

Ruby sniffled her tears making her doe eyes look even bigger. "I can't dance with you anymore, Archie. I'm sorry." She turned to run to the bathroom, to find a place for solitude where she could have a good cry, but Archie grabbed her arm gently and stopped her.

"Ruby, this was an accident," he said. "We can explain to her exactly what's been going on—"

"What _has_ been going on, Archie?" Ruby asked.

It was a quested that flirted with the truth, a question that made Archie's blood stop and his heart drop to his knees. _Tell her_, he thought. _Tell her the truth_.

"I . . . I, uh . . ."

Ruby pulled herself away from Archie again, tears falling down her cheeks as she shook her head. "No. I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry." She brushed past him and ran down the hall.

Archie watched her go, an unbearable sadness weighing on his shoulders. He should have stopped her again, should have held her tight and said those three words he had been dying to utter for so long—

"Women, huh?" Leroy snorted. "Drag."

Archie closed his eyes and let the ocean of sadness wash over his heart. It was a tide that didn't ebb, whose waters were cold and relentless. His eyes stung and a single tear escaped and fell down his cheek. He sighed, gripped his cane tightly, and used it to walk down the hall without falling into a heap of despair.

0000000

Granny only stayed one night in the hospital, and when she got home, Ruby was the model granddaughter. She waited on her hand and foot, bringing her water and aspirin and blankets at a moment's notice. Granny gave Ruby the silent treatment, didn't even talk about the night Ruby slipped out or how she fell down the stairs, but Ruby was grateful. She didn't feel like apologizing anymore, not when she was already beating herself up every waking minute of the day.

The next few days, Ruby reassured Granny that she was done dancing. She brought Granny a cup of tea as the old woman knitted in her rocker in the living room and knelt before her. "I won't see Archie anymore," she said, gazing up at her grandmother with pleading eyes.

Granny grunted.

"I'm done dancing, too," Ruby continued. "I'm going to take some double shifts at the dinner to make up for all the time I wasted."

Granny pursed her lips, her knitting needles clicking together. She finally looked at her granddaughter.

"I'm so sorry, Granny. About everything."

"I need your word that you won't sneak out again and scare me like that," Granny said.

Ruby took her hand. "I swear, Granny."

Granny dropped her knitting and squeezed her granddaughter's hand. "I just don't want anything to happen to you. I love you. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do." Ruby leapt up and scooped Granny into a hug.

The old woman patted Ruby's back reassuringly. When Ruby pulled away, she thought she saw the glimmer of a tear on Granny's cheek. But it was probably just the light playing tricks.

True to her word, Ruby stopped dancing. She stopped watching videos online, turned the radio off in her car, and whenever one of the other waitresses at the diner started humming, Ruby told her to be quiet and get back to work. It was a hallow, bleak way of living, and the only thing that made it bearable was that Granny had forgiven her.

Still, every once in a while, Ruby snapped her attention to the door whenever the bell rang, hoping Archie would walk in. After a week, she stopped looking when the bell atop the door chimed.

0000000

Archie was miserable. He never knew how dark the world could turn, how colors could just mute themselves and voices sounded dull and tinny like those teachers on Charlie Brown—_wah wah wah_. He refused to listen to music at home and in the office, not matter how much Henry begged him during their sessions. He drank scotch every night before bed and ate nothing but takeout.

It was the day before the talent show and Archie was curled up on the couch in his office, his face against the cushions, feet dangling off the side. He had never felt such emptiness, such depression. He thought about writing himself a prescription for Prozac, but he was never very fond of swallowing pills.

A light knock sounded at the door. Footsteps entered.

"Archie?"

It was Marco.

Dr. Hopper sighed heavily. "The doctor is out. Please leave a message with my secretary."

"You don't have a secretary," Marco said. He sat down on the arm chair next to the couch and folded his large, Italian hands in his lap. "What's going on? Are you sick?"

"Yes." Archie faked a cough. "Contagious."

Marco leaned over and pressed the back of his palm to Archie's forehead. "You feel fine. What's a matter? I don't see you at Granny's these days—"

Archie let out a loud groan and turned his back to his friend, burrowing himself deeper into the couch.

"Does this have to do with Ruby?" Marco asked.

"Please, _please_ don't say her name."

"Ah, so it does." Marco chuckled in that charming, annoying way he did that made Archie envy him for his suaveness. "You are lovesick, my friend."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. Archie flipped over onto his back and sighed. He supposed it was pretty obvious—then again, he had never had his heart broken to the best of his memory—but to everyone else, it was probably an effortless diagnosis.

"She hates me," Archie muttered.

"No. No one can hate you, Archie. You are too good." Marco stood. "Come, you tell me." He went to the door and closed it. "Doctor-patient confidential."

"I think this kind of role play is in breach of my code of ethics," Archie said.

"Just—come," Marco clapped his hands together. "Only for a moment. Tell me what's bothering you."

Archie sighed again. He clutched the tan throw pillow against his chest and said, "I love her, Marco." It was the first time he ever said it out loud, but instead of feeling rapturous, he felt like crawling into a hole and dying. "But we can't be together."

"Why?"

Archie lowered his eyes. "We're too different."

Marco waved his hand in disagreement. "No, that's not true. You're both young. You both love to dance, yes? You're not a different species. What else do you have in common?"

A small smile tugged at Archie's lips. "We both like old movies." He chuckled. "And she likes my cooking. Can you believe that?"

"No, I can't," Marco said.

Archie laughed. "And she's very sweet. And so smart—a lot of people don't realize how smart she really is. And kind . . . and fun . . ." Archie's smile faded, thinking about all the things he let slip away. Her smile. Her laugh. The way she treated Pongo like her own dog and cut Archie's sandwiches at Granny's diagonally, even if he never asked. And the dancing. God, he missed the dancing.

Archie looked at his friend. "What do I do?"

"You can't stay here waiting for something to change," Marco said. "Go talk to her."

"I can't. Granny hates me."

Marco smiled slowly. "If you could talk to Ruby right now, would you?"

Archie nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Marco stood. There was mischief in his eyes, a twinkle that made him look especially sneaky. "You leave Granny to me," he said. "I'll make sure you get a chance to talk to Ruby."

**To be continued**


End file.
